Brihadeshwarar Temple
Thanjavur
When Raja Raja built the Brihadeshwarar temple at the turn of the first millennium AD, he created one of the most glorious pieces of Chola temple architecture in the world. Your breath will stock in your throat as you approach the 63-metre high temple topped off with a dome made from a single piece of granite, weighing about 80 tonnes and pushed, shoved and heaved into place in a similar way to the Egyptian pyramids. Hindus have worshipped here for over 1000 years, and a sense of peace and continuality hangs in the air – notwithstanding who you encounter at the gate of the inner courtyard. Here you come face-to-face with Nandi – Shiva’s bull, again one of the largest in India. He too was carved from a single rock and bulks up at just over 25 tonnes. Once safely past him, you will wonder at the carved stone of the temples, the 250 plus Shiva lingams and glorious frescoes built by the Cholas who once controlled much of the Indian peninsula south of Mumbai. An unforgettable spot to share.
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Review this experienceReviews of Brihadeshwarar Temple
This is one of the greatest temples I visited in India, one should try and visit this in his life time.
samarvi, LosAngeles 01/3/2008
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It was a tremendous morning, I landed in Tanjore from Trichey. The first sight of the temple in the golden sunlight was heart-grabbing. Huge gigantic temple with such beautiful carvings all around - it was a wonderful view.
konakanchi, VIJAYAWADA 20/10/2007
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A fantastic monument.
Ghanasham, Mumbai 25/6/2007
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